After discovering a long history of Vietnam through the trips in Hanoi, a capital of thousands of years of history, visitors can continue their trips by exploring the natural landscapes that Mother Nature has bestowed on Vietnam. One of the most impressive and famous sites around Hanoi that travelers can easily to find is Halong Bay in Quang Ninh province. Halong Bay has a wide range of beautiful natural sites, however; it not only attracts visitors by its natural beauty but also by the mystery of legends. Drum Cave and Virgin Cave is one of them.
Drum Cave and Virgin Cave are considered the couple on Halong Bay. It not only has many stalactites and beautiful scenery but also attracts tourists by the legend of a touching love. Following the legend, there was a beautiful girl living in a fishing village, because of the poor, her family had to work for the landlord governing this area. Seeing her beautiful, he forced her family to make her marry him as his concubine. However, she adamantly refused because she had a boyfriend, that guy was off the land in preparation for their wedding day. Because the landlord could not make the girl agree, he banished her to an isolated island. In a rainy night, the girl was exhausted and petrified (Virgin Cave). When the guy knew the girl in distress, he looked for the girl in the immense sea. One night, a thunderstorm came that caused the guy’s boat to be shattered, he was washed up on an island. In lightning, he looked out and realized the girl he loved, but his words were carried away by the wind. He used a rock to hit on the cliff to let her know that he has arrived but he could not receive any message from his lover. Desperately, he knocked until exhausted and petrified (Drum Cave – Boy Cave).
Virgin Cave
Virgin cave is located on the flanks of a small mountain to the east of Bo Hon island, on Halong Bay, about 14km from Bai Chay port to the southeast. Old French called this cave by the name of La Vierge (Cave of the girl). In the heart of the Virgin Cave, there is a women stone statue, lying with her long hair and her eyes looking toward the far distance in a long waiting. Fishermen saw the Virgin cave as their lovely house, and the loving couple considered this site as the oath place, the eternal symbol of love.
Drum Cave
Drum Cave is situated opposite the Virgin Cave, has two interconnecting doors to the east - west through two cliffs. Inside the cave, hanging down from the ceiling are the beams of silvery stalactite, and there are statues of a petrified boy facing the Virgin cave. Standing in Drum cave, visitors can hear the wind blowing and echoing on the wall of the cave that creates a sound like the sound of the drum. Drum Cave also owns the archaeological evidence of Soi Nhu culture, dating 18000-7000 years from today.
